Beginnings
by LiannaAila
Summary: In which there is no time difference, and Mitsuha moves to Tokyo.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hopefully, I'll actually be able to update this story on time! Anyways, enjoy. This plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone :)**

 **Disclaimer: I'd trade all the cookies in the world to own Kimi no Na Wa, but I don't have any. Unfortunately.**

oOoOoOo

Taki groaned and forced himself to sit up, massaging his head as he looked around the deserted mountain. _She's not there._ In the distant horizon, the sun bled pools of orange and red as it descended. His eyes trailed down and met the blackened ruins of a village.

"NO!" He gasped, hauling himself up and staggering to the edge of the cliff. "What the hell?" He'd warned her. He'd told her to tell the others. _Was I too late?_

He opened his hand and looked at the black streak that ran down the length of his palm. _Too late._ He thought back to that feeling of hope, of overwhelming relief when he'd found himself back in her form that last time. When he'd stood in front of _her_ and watched gentle eyes shine with tears of joy because finally, _finally_ he'd been able to meet her as himself.

"It's okay," he said quietly to the vanishing sun, hating how his voice cracked on the last syllable. "We can find each other again. I know her name. It's Mitsuha. Mit-" _No. No way. I just said it. I know it. It starts with a M and then...starts with a…_

"FUCK!" he screamed. A flock of ravens startled and rose into the twilight sky, screeching. His eyes burned as he savagely dragged his hand down his face. _This can't freaking be happening. Are the gods against me? Against us?!_

Pebbles skittered across the dirt as he turned abruptly, stalking towards the steps. Even as he descended, his head tilted back and he glimpsed a sprinkle of light.

"Someday," he promised the stars. "I'll meet her again."

oOoOoOo

"Mitsuha!" Grandma called, voice nearly drowned out by the loud crowd. "It's time for dinner!"

"I'm coming!" The girl pulled on the rope, wincing as the cold liquid splashed over the rim and onto her wool sweater. She slipped the rope off the handle and heaved the bucket awkwardly towards the school entrance. Yotsuha was waiting there, hands tucked at her sides. Mitsuha noticed how her thin, worn clothes hung loose on her frame and how her little sister's teeth chattered in the cold, even as her lips were pulled in a shaky frown.

The older girl blew out a breath, watched the silvery air curl and blossom, and shivered. November hadn't been kind to the villagers, though their lives had been spared when the comet had obliterated their home. Her heart ached at the thought.

"It's cold," were Yotsuha's only words as she shuffled through the doors. "You should close the doors when you leave." There was only weariness in her eyes, not a hint of the snarky child she had been only weeks ago.

Mitsuha only nodded in reply. They headed down the the hall together, pausing to bow quickly to previous neighbors. Many exclaimed at the state of her hair and fussed over her.

"It's the least we can do in return for what you did," Kika insisted, wrinkled hands draping a shawl around the girl's shoulders.

"We wouldn't be here without you," Ryoun tucked a tube of toothpaste into her pocket.

She tried to refuse; Yotsuha backed her up as they attempted to return the gifts. They both knew perfectly well that their previous neighbors needed the items more than they ever would. Their father was once the town mayor; they had connections and saving the people she had cherished and grown up with wasn't something that would ever required payment. But, they were adamant.

"Mitsuha, Yotsuha," Grandma gestured. "Come, your father has something to tell you." Her smile radiated warmth and her posture had relaxed far more than the tense position she had been in before her granddaughter had left.

 _What happened?_ Mitsuha hastily set the bucket down outside the door and hurried in, followed closely by her sister.

Their father was sitting at a desk, staring out the window. He turned as they entered, a smug smile on his face.

"I received a call from a friend. We're going to Tokyo."

oOoOoOo

 **AN: I'll do my best to tell this story! Next update will probably be around early February. Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I'M SO SORRY! "About a week and a half" HA that was SO not true. But I have the next chapter already written and the rest of this story planned (which will be about 10 chapters by the way), and so yeah. Anyways, here's a cookie for your patience and THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO FAVORITED AND FOLLOWED! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Kimi no na wa in any shape or form does not belong to me. AT ALL. *cries* All credit goes to Katokawa Shoten, etc.**

oOoOoOo

"Taki!" The boy swiveled before catching sight of his friend. The hallways were crowded between periods, and it took a while for the other to reach him.

"Tsukasa," he greeted. "What is it?"

Tsukasa pushed him to the end of the corridor, next to the open window. Snowflakes had drifted onto the windowsill, dusting it white. The other boy pushed his glasses into place.

"There's a new girl," he half-whispered, glancing from side to side.

"And?"

"She's a hot as hell are you kidding me the entire school is literally heads over heels!" His voice rose a few octaves before dropping to a murmur. At Taki's confused expression, he sighed and patted him on the back. "Don't worry. She might be in our homeroom. When you see her, you'll understand."

Rolling his eyes, the boy sighed. "Of course I will."

oOoOoOo

The bell rang, a long, drawn out note as Mitsuha hurried to keep pace with the principal. Tuning out the well-rehearsed introductory speech recited in a monotone, she focused instead on her first words, her first steps into this strange city-world that she had never seen before. Suddenly, the man came to a stop outside an open door. He turned, and she was shocked to see the kindness in his eyes.

"I was sorry to hear about your village," he said. "It is my hope that you will find a place here in Tokyo. Please, enter."

She did.

The rows and rows of freshly polished, silver-white desks gleamed starkly against the crisp navy uniforms of students. She blinked, hair as she took an uncertain step forward. Next to the blackboard, her teacher smiled.

"Class, this is Mitsuha Miyamizu. My name is Konoki-sensei. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miyamizu." The girl blushed lightly as the entire class greeted her excitedly.

"I feel very lucky and honored to be here today," she said in response. "Thank you for having me!" Her slight bow towards the class was met with applause.

Konoki-sensei directed her to a seat near the back, close to the window but not quite. There was a boy to her left gaping at her in what seemed to be awe. She took out her books, attempting to ignore the countless eyes upon her even as class resumed.

All around her, students were staring and whispering, and she fought the urge to hide. There were so many people, so many unfamiliar faces. She tucked back a strand of hair and straightened her back. The murmurs grew louder.

Before the lunch bell had rung, she'd realized that her old school was apparently light years ahead in the education department. It was a bit of surprise, but then again it wasn't, since she had become incredibly advanced in her desire to escape the tiny community.

She looked out the window and smiled briefly, feeling a pang of homesickness. _It's snowing._

oOoOoOo

Taki hadn't dared to even breathe when Miyamizu entered the classroom. Somehow, she'd seemed especially familiar in a way that both warmed and chilled him. Her loose braids were swept up into an intricate design and tied by _a red ribbon_. Unconsciously, his hand moved to rub his left wrist while she blushed and softly replied to the class.

He could feel his classmates' anticipation as she moved through their midst, hear their hurried conversations on yes, she'd make a wonderful cheerleader, actress, does she play a sport and _who do you think will ask her out first?_ Because she was stunningly pretty, and though he didn't dare voice his honest opinion, his heart stuttered as she sat lightly behind him.

He could imagine the stares of the other guys: admiring and possessive. She shifted behind him, and Yunki actually dropped his pen. The impulse to turn was almost too great, but he managed.

 _Mitsuha Miyamizu._ Where had he heard the name before? A s class resumed, he absently sketched a lakeside town. Somehow, he'd found himself always drawing it, over and over.

In every one of his classes before lunch, he always glimpsed the ribbon, swaying hypnotically at the edge of his vision. It was maddening.

At lunch, the class divided into their usual groups to gossip and eat. Students hurried to Miyamizu's desk, vying for her attention. He had dozens of questions, but he frowned at the crowd.

Mit _-Miyamizu_ sat across the room from him, outlined against the stormy skies. Her face was schooled into a carefully pleasant expression while replying to their comments politely. Girls eagerly fawned over her hair and fair skin, while the boys asked curiously about her hometown.

"Thank you, it does take a while to braid all of it, though. I come from a town in the countryside. Yes, it's very different there." Her voice was light but firm. Taki speared his roll grouchily.

"Isn't she hot!" Katsuhiko whistled quietly as he slid in beside Taki. The boy jumped. "That's quite a catch right there. Seems pretty smart, too. Caught her staring out the window the whole time after finishing the homework in ten minutes. What?" he added defensively at Taki's look. "Don't deny it, you're in love too. Don't denyyyyy it!" His voice had risen on the last sentence, and the rest of the class turned to look.

Taki waved them away, laughing nervously. "Ah, it's nothing guys, nothing to see heREOW!" He screeched in undignified pain as Katsuhiko jabbed him hard in the back. Wheezing, he sank to the floor as everyone stared suspiciously. Katsuhiko shrugged innocently.

"You sound like a dying whale cat," Yunki commented dryly. "Doesn't seem like nothing."

Suddenly, the door slammed open and six students strolled in. All the attention in the room automatically turned towards them, an aura of charisma and power practically emanating from their entrance.

A girl with perfectly coiffed golden hair stepped forward, hip cocked and beautiful grey eyes glimmering with cold amusement. Her absurdly short skirt, the emerald green of seniors, swept around her thighs, and half the boys craned their necks to look. Taki scoffed quietly.

"Hello, Miyamizu," she said, with a razor edge to her politeness. "My name is Katsumi. This is Fuyumi, Loku, and Ryuu. We were wondering if you would like to join us for lunch." There was no question in her words, only a statement-a command. The bystanders gasped in shock. It was unheard of for the most popular, richest, hottest, and bitchiest group in the school to even _look_ at their classmates, much less their underclassmen, even more so the _freshmen_.

"What are they doing here?" Taki hissed at Katsuhiko.

"Miyamizu's probably got more than enough in the looks and popularity department by now to join their group," the boy rubbed his chin. "Wonder why it took them so long."

Taki sighed and turned his attention back to the front.

Miyamizu tilted her head uncertainly, golden eyes pools of gentle light. It was like watching the light and dark embodiments of humanity, both equally gorgeous and enthralling, but Taki knew who he preferred. Apparently, Katsumi knew too. Her audience whispered quietly, casting glances her way. Hatred flashed in her icy eyes. "Come with us," she gritted out. "It's now or never." The boy standing next to her held up a hand.

"Allow me," he said confidently. "Hi, my name is Ryuu." He tossed his silver bangs and winked at Miyamizu, who simply looked confused. "Would you like to go out with me?" The classroom descended into pandemonium as a girl fainted, two more began screaming, three began to sob, and at least seven guys yelled in horror.

Taki facepalmed.

"I actually cannot believe this."

oOoOoOoOo

AN: Next update will be **April 9th, 2017**. (no loopholes for me lol) Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Previously:**_

" _Allow me," he said confidently. "Hi, my name is Ryuu." He tossed his silver bangs and winked at Miyamizu, who simply looked confused. "Would you like to go out with me?" The classroom descended into pandemonium as a girl fainted, two more began screaming, three began to sob, and at least seven guys yelled in horror._

 _Taki facepalmed._

" _I actually cannot believe this."_

oOoOoOoOo

Mitsuha stared in confusion at her _insane_ classmates. If she had heard correctly and wasn't hearing impaired, a group of gorgeous seniors had walked in, invited her to lunch, and one BREATHTAKINGLY hot guy had asked her out. In FRONT of her CLASS. SHE HAD NO IDEA WHO HE WAS.

She watched in stupefied shock as he winked at her. Silently agreeing with one guy facepalming out the corner of her eye, she cleared her throat. "Um."

The class shut up and turned as one. Absolute silence reigned.

"I'm flattered by your offer," she said, then paused. Every person hung on her word. It was a creepily exhilarating feeling. "But," she could've sworn that she saw money exchange hands, "I won't be able to have lunch with you guys. I'm really sorry but since it's my first time in Tokyo, I'd like to stay in the school during my first day. And Ryuu-senpai," he smiled in satisfaction. "I'm so sorry, and it's for the same reason. I'm new to this school, city, and you, so I have to say…" She twisted her hands nervously, "...no."

"You're joking," someone said in the back.

"Yeah," Ryuu chuckled awkwardly. "Right?"

She blinked at him. "No."

oOoOoOo

The seniors walked out, postures much less confident than they had been before. Before setting foot out the door, Ryuu winked at Miyamizu again, tapping two fingers against his forehead in a salute. "You're a gem, Miyamizu! I'll be waiting!" They all collectively released a breath as the door slid shut, then turned to their neighbors while opening their mouths.

And the bell rang to conclude what would become known as one of the most epic tales of Taki's grade.

oOoOoOo

"Hey, Miyamizu!" a girl with coffee-colored hair called out. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The other girl pulled on her shoe, nodding cautiously. "Sure?"

She beamed happily, "My name's Asumi. I was wondering if you'd like to join the idol club!" She pointed to a brightly colored poster nearby.

"...what."

"Oh weelll it's more like a cheerleading squad, but we're working on becoming independent," Asumi said, wilting noticeably.

Mitsuha waved her hands frantically. "Wait, that's not what I meant! I mean, that sounds pretty interesting?"

"Yeah!" the other perked up. "You have a dancer's body, your voice seems nice enough, and everyone likes you! You're perfect for the job!"

Mitsuha coughed. "Um, it's kind of my first week."

"Ah, it's not a problem. We usually practice at the school, and if we perform you'll be traveling with us. There's four of us besides you, so that'll be perfect! I'm a junior, by the way, and the recruiter."

"A junior?!" She couldn't keep out the shock in her voice. "I mean, oh wow, you must have a lot of experience. What about the others?" She picked up her bag and leaned against the wall. Several people eyed her as they passed.

"It may or may not be our first year," Asumi admitted. "We haven't been able to come up with anything passable so far, too. Cheerleading is more of an American thing. Gotta go now, see you at the atrium at three on Tuesday! Bye!" She ran off.

Mitsuha sighed. Swinging her bag around, she glanced around the entrance. It was mostly empty, with only a few left talking quietly. _Do I even join? She seems nice enough, and modern dancing can't be as bad as my shrine duties._ She began to walk to the doors when someone crashed into her.

She winced in pain as her elbow hit the wall awkwardly, and they tumbled to the floor in an undignified heap. Her face was pressed against someone else's sweater. A faint scent of toffee and lemon caused her to blush, and she scrambled up and away from the boy.

"Sorry," he said, seeming slightly panicked. "I wasn't looking where I was going and-oh, it's you. Miyamizu?" He scratched his head, embarrassed. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she said, smoothing her skirt self-consciously. "I wasn't looking either." They awkwardly stared at each other. She noticed that his eyes were a startling shade of blue, not unlike a lake by the sea.

"Sorry if this seems weird, but have we met before?" the boy asked.

"I don't know," Mitsuha replied quietly. "What's your name?" She chose to ignore the pang of deja-vu as she met his gaze.

"Taki Tachibana. I must have mixed you up with someone else," he smiled warmly, shaking off what seemed to be a moment of melancholy. "By the way, Ryuu-senpai seemed pretty put off this morning." He read her expression and held up a hand. "Oops, ignore that, didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay," Mitsuha sighed, picking up her bag. "That was a painful experience."

"Really?" Taki regarded her interestedly. "More than half the girls in the district are madly in love with that guy."

"I'm new," she said defensively.

"That's all the more reason to accept. If you dated a popular senior, you'd be set for the rest of the year," Taki pointed out.

"I don't know him!" the girl protested, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. "And I cannot believe that I am actually arguing about my relationship choices with you."

"Oh," he looked vaguely amused. "Well, then." He glanced at his watch and his eyes widened in horror. "Damn I have to get to a meeting, see you later!" He set off at full sprint down the hallway, swerving dangerously close to the remaining students in the hallway.

Mitsuha couldn't help her smile. _That Tachibana has way too many sides to him._

 _AN: wOW 6 favs and 13 follows?! *cheers* Thank you to Codename-SN, who reviewed, and everyone who faved or followed! Taki and Mitsuha met this chapter, and I promise you that a lot more is going to happen! Next update will be_ _ **April 16, 2017.**_ _Until next time!_


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I had a horrible migraine-fever on Saturday and Sunday, and then the rest of the week was such a whirlwind that I had no time to write or edit. BUT NO EXCUSES! Here, take this extra long chapter instead of my head on a platter? (gasp bad timing sorryyy)**

 **DIsclaimer: Kimi no na wa does NOT belong to me. If it did, I'd be swimming in a flood of money and tears (of joy).**

oOoOoOo

The squeak of shoes on the wooden floor only added to Mitsuha's nerves as her fingers tightened around the handles of her brilliant blue and white pom poms. Suchiaru Academy's gym had left her gasping in awe at first glance, and even a few weeks later, she was still daunted by the large area and its inhabitants. The professionalism and drive of the basketball, volleyball, and various other teams that practiced there caused nothing short of a scared sort of admiration. A shrill whistle caught her attention.

"The game's starting!" Asumi clapped her hands from her seat beside Mitsuha. Both wore loose, mid-thigh length navy skirts, sleeveless white tees, and blue edged ivory stockings. The older girl smoothed her rumpled skirt before beaming at the players lining up on opposite sides of the court. "We've practiced so long for this, everyone!"

"Long enough," a pink haired girl grumbled from her position on Mitsuha's right. However, the sparkle in her magenta eyes contradicted her tone.

"Oh come off it, Hiroko," Asumi said cheerfully. "We all know you're excited too. Fuyuki, who're you looking at?" Mitusha looked curiously as the girl bolted up from her position on the floor.

"N-no one," the girl spluttered, ducking behind sunshine-gold bangs. Her neighbor snorted, poking at her with sharp glossed nails until she squeaked.

"Right, right." The official blew the whistle again as the ball was tossed up into the air, and two incredibly tall players jumped midair. A grunt, a heave, and the ball soared through the air toward one side. A huge cheer rose from the packed bleachers, fighting against the tide of boos.

"Yes!" Fuyuki cried quietly. "And Koharu, stop!" The other laughed and stood to flop beside Hiroko, who was intently watching the game.

Mitsuha patted Fuyuki. "It's okay. She's gone now."

"Finally," Fuyuki beamed. She bounced back onto her toes and leaned against the leg of the bench, next to Asumi. A moment of silence when all watched a particularly impressive dunk, then-

"So which one?"

Fuyuki's crestfallen, gobsmacked expression caused all of them to laugh, ignoring the annoyed expressions of nearby spectators.

"I can't, ugh, this is so embarrassing," she finally whispered, hiding her face in her hands.

"Spill." Even Hiroko had tuned into their conversation, and was smiling slyly at the girl.

"Number 32," was the muffled whisper. They all whipped their heads up, only to see in stunned horror as a boy wearing their school uniform was pushed roughly while jumping. He hit the floor with a painful thud and didn't get up. Everyone froze for a split second. Then the players split, half turning to yell at the offending tackler and the others running to the aid of their teammate. A few people shouted in alarm.

"Oh my god," Mitsuha half-stood. Koharu was already on striding onto the court, pushing her headband back while kneeling beside the groaning boy. She turned him over and probed his ankle, causing him to flinch. The nurse hurried over a moment later. The team formed a loose circle around them.

"It's a Grade One sprained ankle," Koharu reported, running her fingers lightly over the red skin. "It's not too serious, but you're going to have to sit out of this game and one or two weeks." The nurse touched the ankle briefly, and nodded.

"Kiriyura's right. Come with me to the office, Houn-kun, and we can get some ice on that."

The gym was abuzz with whispers as he limped off. Koharu returned to the bench and sat.

"You were amazing!" Fuyuki hugged the girl. Mitsuha shared a grin with her.

"My parents are doctors, and I help the nurse out sometimes, so I have some experience," Koharu explained. "I just hope that our fill-in is good." A dozen meters away, the coach was in a heated discussion with another boy, who had apparently just walked in. After another moment, the boy threw his hands up, shrugged on a jersey, and stalked onto the court.

"Oh, Tachibana's playing?" Hiroko said in confusion. "But I thought he was-"

"Hush, they're starting again!" Asumi hissed. Slowly, the players reassembled on the line. With a few sharp whistles and gestures, the referee indicated a free throw.

Mitsuha tried not to stare at the newly arrived player. Strangely enough, his team greeted him with a bonk to the head. He took up a position near the basket. The person who walked to the free-throw line raked a hand through his hair, shining gold in the light. _He looks familiar._ He bent and bounced the ball a few times, the hard smack against the floorboard heightening the tension. _27-32_

"Half-time in another thirty seconds, so if he makes them both, that would help our team a lot," Asumi whispered. Mitsuha noticed a slight whimper from Fuyuki. She refocused on the game and saw the boy stretch and _throw_ , lean muscles rippling, hair moving out of the light and glinting silver instead of gold. Fuyuki clutched the hem of her skirt. The net swished.

"Ryuu-san's a stuffed jerk, but he sure can throw," Hiroko muttered. Koharu made a noncommittal noise. They all raised their pom poms obligingly, shaking them so together they seemed like a shower of stars.

"GO SUCHIARU!"

"He's number 32?!" Asumi said incredulously out of the corner of her mouth. "I mean, oh wow, yeah hah, ol' Ryuu-senpai's your um, ha." Her voice died out as the Mitsuha prodded her, hard. "Wow." The referee picked up the ball and lobbed it back. A moment later, the ball sank in the hoop again, flawlessly. He turned towards them and grinned at the screaming crowd.

Mitsuha discreetly hid behind Hiroko. It didn't matter. He waved.

"Wait, is he looking at me?!" Fuyuki gasped. "He is! HE okay nope who's behind me." She twisted and stared at Mitsuha. The girl shook her head frantically.

"I don't-he's not-"

"He keeps saying hi to her, even though she doesn't want him to," Hiroko clarified. "It's been two weeks."

They looked at each other in silence. The game resumed. The half-time buzzer rang.

"You're so lucky." Her emerald eyes gazed wistfully at the girl. "I don't think he knows I exist." The lights began to dim.

"We have to go," Asumi said frantically. "It's time guys, it's time!" The athletes were leaving the court.

"I'm so sorry," Mitsuha apologized. "I don't know why he keeps doing it."

"It's alright," the blonde girl smiled. "Not your fault. His." They linked arms before running into the spotlight.

oOoOoOo

"Is Isamu going to be okay?" Minoke asked. The team gathered around Gorou-sensei. He frowned.

"Isamu-kun's going to be out for a while. Best case scenario he'll be back next week," the coach answered. "Taki-kun, thank you for joining us."

Taki bowed stiffly. "Of course."

They walked back to their seats, sipping water. Minoke bumped Taki sympathetically, silver cross glinting in the lowered light. "That old geezer really needs to know when to stop."

"It's just not fair," Taki said quietly. "There's five others on the bench. I don't come to practice. I'm technically not even on the team. I literally came because I needed chairs for the meeting." They sat down.

"You're the best," Daigu said grudgingly. Ryuu, sitting on his right, gave him a cold look, and he flushed.

Taki was saved from replying by the start of music. Five girls had positioned themselves in a line. The catchy beat and their quick, sharp movements out into a reversed V-formation caught his attention, in addition to the rest of the gym.

"Isn't that the cheerleading club?" he asked Minoke.

"First time they've been here," he shrugged. "But damn they've got moves." They leaned forward, bringing their arms out in elegant snaps. Suddenly, the girls twirled so that the girl previously at the back was now in the center of the group of five. The two at the front sides dropped, and the three standing stepped out and away while sweeping their hands in graceful circles. Suddenly, the beat picked up, and then all five were in a V-formation, moving in perfect synchrony. To Taki's shock, he recognized one of the dancers from his class.

"Yeah," Taki agreed, at a loss for words. _Miyamizu's part of the cheerleading club?_ He examined her, feeling his mouth go dry at the curve of her hip outlined beneath her skirt. Minoke stifled a snigger.

By now, the crowd was eagerly clapping in time. The cheerleaders had laid their pom poms on the court, similar to roses at the edge of a stage. With the last note, they posed behind them. Mitsuha placed a finger on her cheek, head turned, hand on hip.

The lights came on. Beside him, Minoke wolf-whistled loudly, though was nearly drowned out by others. Taki applauded, face burning. _Get a hold of yourself._

After the girls waved towards their audience and returned to their seats, the starting members stood.

"Ready?" Minoke set down his bottle.

"As I'll ever be," Taki grimaced, glimpsing the reserve players' thinly veiled hatred.

oOoOoOo

Mitsuha sat down, breathing hard. Asumi tumbled to the ground and grinned. "We did it!"

"Yeah," Fuyuki sighed, tugging on her tee. "That was nerve-wracking."

"If that was nerve-wracking, what about auditioning for that idol competition in a few weeks?" Hiroko clasped her hands. She stretched towards the ceiling. "This was our first time in front of big crowd."

"We were amazing," Koharu said firmly. "And considering Mitsuha's had about nine days to practice and we've had around fifteen, we could be more than that."

Murmurs of agreement were made, and they settled back to watch the game. Mitsuha noticed that Tachibana always passed, never shooting. Nevertheless, his steals were extraordinary, and it seemed as if his opponents lost their grip on the ball whenever he whipped by.

She smiled after another brisk assist.

To the side, Ryuu frowned at her gaze.

"Ah!" Stars shone in Fuyuki's eyes at his sudden, almost effortless charge. Ryuu evaded his guard, knocked the ball out of the shocked player's hands, jumped, and slammed it in the hoop. Mitsuha clapped, albeit awkwardly.

As the clock ticked down, to thirty seconds and counting, the teams were close. _52-54_

"Cmooon," Asumi tapped her foot impatiently.

The last play was tense. Their opponents had the ball, and so Tachibana whipped it out of their hands and raced towards the hoop.

"Yes!" MItsuha cheered. He hesitated for a split second, blue eyes meeting her for a split second, and another player slapped the ball away. It thudded to the ground before Ryuu hurriedly scooped it up on the first bounce. He was then confronted by two players. They reached for the ball.

"Here!" another boy pivoted around his guard and raised his hands. Taki and his remaining teammate blocked the other two's approach as Ryuu tossed, and the boy received, turned, and jumped. The ball sailed into the net neatly.

The buzzer sounded in tandem with the shouts and applause. _55-54_ Suchiaru's basketball team fist-bumped, grins evident. The cheerleaders happily skipped across the court and led a victory cheer.

As the two teams bowed, one looking distinctly less thrilled than the other, Asumi nudged Mitsuha. "So, what did you think of your first experience as a cheerleader?"

She smiled, eyes still on the court. "Amazing."

oOoOoOo

 **AN: GET READY FOR LOADS OF FLUFF AND YEAH! I am so ready for this, but exams are coming, and I actually am on a sports team, so updating is going to be a pain soon. But, I LOVE YOU GUYS and writing this so it'll be worth it!**

 **Sorry if I messed up the basketball scenes lol. You should see my web history while writing this thing because I literally googled everything. My sad experience on a local basketball team was, well, sad. Don't worry! I don't plan on writing more of these scenes. We have very interesting stuff coming up next.**

 **To my lovely reviewers who boosted my motivation 500x, especially IlluminatusIII who even PMed me to ask about the update, THANK YOU! Thank you also to those who follow, fave, or even just read my work! You guys all make my day sweeter than it possibly could be!**

 **The Phantom Keeper:** _Thank you for your kind comments! I wasn't planning on having Tessie or Sayaka show up, but as I'm looking through my outline, I think a scene basically CALLS for them. Hopefully, I'll do a good job :)_

 **Lunaris-wind:** _Thank you for reviewing! I'm also on the hunt for anything related to this fandom, which is why I started to write this. :D_

 **IlluminatisIII:** _Thank you!_

 **Guest:** _Thank YOU for your kind words!_

 **Sovereign64:** _Thank you for your compliments! Ah, this is probably going to deviate a LOT from the movie, but I hope that you'll like it anyway. ;)_

 **AzAlexZ:** _Thank you! Having someone understand and relate really does help a lot. I'll try my best to stay on schedule!_

 **Alrighty, next update will be** _May 6th, 2017._ **Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Once, I realized that Kimi no na wa belonged to me. Then, I woke up. :(**

Mitsuha shielded her eyes from the blinding sun, almost choking at the sight of the enormous building that stood before her. The people behind snapped at her to move, and she startled from her place on the snow-dusted sidewalk. She navigated her way through the crowd to the smooth marble steps and ascended them.

The warm air that enveloped her in welcome was a relief, in addition to the murmuring of students, rustling of papers, and general peace. She supposed that even a banshee could develop a migraine after wandering the streets. As her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, she realized that she was standing at the top of a circular deck, with steps leading down to a large common below. Aisles and aisles of books filled both floors, and she noticed a third set of stairs to a similarly cut and filled third floor. Wooden rafters arched over her head as she made her way to the common. All the tables were filled at first glance, but she spotted a seat in the back, close to the wall and nearly blocked by a bookshelf.

"Excuse me," she whispered to the student next to the seat. "Is anyone sitting here?"

"No," he replied distractedly, carefully erasing a few stray marks on his sheet. She slid into the chair, pulling out her notes, laptop, and earbuds. Peeking at his paper, she glimpsed the spiral of a church, painstakingly sketched, before the boy moved his elbow in the way and glared.

"Excuse me," his voice was clipped. "I don't think tha-oh, Miyamizu-san." He glanced at his paper quickly, moving it even further down the table.

"Sorry," she squeaked embarrassedly. "I shouldn't have been nosy." He sighed. "I won't look, I promise."

"Okay, then. What are you here for?" His hair was more tousled than the last time she'd seen him, matching his rumpled green shirt and jeans.

With a silent _eep_ , she opened her notebook to a lined blank page. "I'm coming up with the lyrics and the main melody of our next song," she explained. "Since, um, I'm in the idol group and we're going to be attending a competition."

"Good luck," he grinned. "I can't sing for the life of me." She smiled sheepishly.

"I've had practice."

By an unspoken agreement, both turned to their work and fell into a comfortable silence, broken occasionally by a hum from Mitsuha or a mutter from Tachibana. _It's strangely easy imagining the music when I'm here._ Her book was slowly covered in notations and time signatures, messy scribbles pointing out the key and instrument, possible choreography, and the potential singer. She finally created a neater, comprehensible version of her rough draft and hit play on her laptop. Nodding to herself in satisfaction as the notes resounded, she looked up and finally noticed the late afternoon light streaming through the windows.

"Oh, it's late," she said aloud, shutting her laptop. Unease pooled in her stomach. Late afternoon could easily become night, and nighttime in Tokyo was something she did NOT want to experience alone. As she began putting her things away, Tachibana noticed and glanced at his watch.

"I'll come with you," he offered, shuffling his papers. He turned faintly pink at her grateful beam.

They walked out of the library together, occasionally brushing shoulders. _It's a nice feeling_ , Mitsuha reflected _, thinking that he does care._

At the train station, Tachibana stopped and turned to the girl. "My train's the Hiruki line, which'll be here in five minutes. What about you?"

"That's also mine!" Mitsuha said in surprise. They found a spot against the wall and leaned against it in wait. People bundled up in heavy coats hurried past them, boarding the train currently in the station. She thought back to what she'd seen in the library.

"What were you drawing in the library?" she asked after a moment. He started. "I-oh-sorry, I just saw a part of your drawing and it was beautiful…" she trailed off awkwardly.

"It's fine," he said quickly. "It's of a small town in the mountains. I'm not really sure why I keep drawing the same scene, though. I just can't get the image out of my head. " He glanced at her, as if to gauge her reaction. She blinked at him thoughtfully. The train slowly pulled along the track, leaving with a final whistle.

"It might be important," she said. "Is there another meaning behind it?"

He pushed himself off the wall, expression unreadable. "I can't really remember where it came from, or if it's an actual place. I've been trying to figure it out for a long time."

"I've been a shrine maiden most of my life," Mitsuha waved a hand, flustered. "Don't worry about it. I spend way too much time being paranoid and reading supernatural undertones in, like, everything."

"You're probably right, though," Tachibana turned to face her. He seemed to be on the verge of saying something else just as another train trundled into the station. "Let's go."

Due to the sudden influx of passengers, they were squeezed into a tiny corner between a pole and seat. He indicated for Mitsuha to sit, but she shook her head and remained stubbornly upright. An old woman hobbled over and sat with a sigh of relief.

"What kindness," Tachibana whispered into Mitsuha's ear, his warm breath stirring her hair. She turned and opened her mouth to reply, but was distracted by their close proximity. _I remember this. But how?_

"I-I could say the same to you," she retorted, quickly turning back. She felt him snort behind her. The train swayed, curving up on tracks laid on a hill. Mitsuha watched the violet clouds reach out misty strands to the brilliant sun, contrasting starkly with the dark, imposing skyscrapers, now tiny blocks against the vast horizon. It made her feel tiny, surrounded by a world too big to care about her.

"Do you want to be an architect when you graduate?" she asked suddenly. In the reflection of a nearby window, she watched him nod wistfully.

"I like to draw," he admitted. "But I guess you already know that."

She huffed a laugh. "True."

"What about you?"

"I think I want to be a doctor," Mitsuha said slowly, mind flashing back to that fateful day months ago. _Never again_.

Overhead, a cool female voice announced the next stop. "That'll be my stop," she hurriedly added.

"And I'll be going with you," Tachibana said, voice light. She smiled in relief.

"Watch our houses be right next to each other," she joked, only half-serious.

"I live in an apartment," he corrected. A small pang shot through her. _I almost forgot…_

The train slid to a stop, the doors gliding open with a swish. Tachibana shouldered his way through the dense crowd, and she kept close behind him. It was somewhat like walking through a snowy path created by someone shoveling right before her.

They emerged into a street that was relatively busy. Bright shops and department stores bordered the sidewalk, with motorcycles and cars blaring down the road. Tachibana pointed to the left, and she nodded in agreement. After a few more turns, she glimpsed a cluster of familiar high-rise apartments towering along the nearly deserted avenue. Above them, the faint outline of a crescent moon was visible behind delicate clouds.

"We actually live in the same building," he grinned, holding open the door for her. She slipped around him.

"I live on the seventh floor," she said as they walked across the large, well-kept lobby. The lone guard had his face smushed against his desk, surrounded by three screens. A deep snore sounded intermittently. Tachibana snorted at the sight, pushing the button for the elevator.

"I'm on the eighth," he replied. A ding sounded, and the doors opened. They entered, with Mitsuha pushing the buttons for their respective floors.

The elevator whirred up several floors. They stood in silence until the fifth, then Tachibana suddenly held out something to her.

"What's this?" she said, puzzled, as she took his phone.

"Can I have your number?" Tachibana wouldn't meet her eyes, only stuttering slightly. "For homework and stuff, since we live so close."

"...sure," she replied, flustered. _Is he…?_ The doors slid open on the seventh floor as she finished typing. There was a moment of awkward silence. She murmured an almost inaudible goodbye and almost leapt out. Before she made into the hallway, a hand grasped her sleeve. She turned, silently screaming. _Ohmygoshohmygoshohmyg o s h_

"Do you go to the library a lot?"

"Sometimes," she said. To her utter horror, she felt herself blush and say, "It's more fun with two people." _MITSUHA WHAT ARE YOU DOING._

Tachibana released her sleeve and stepped back, a small smile appearing. "See you later, Miyamizu." The doors closed in front of her wide, disbelieving eyes.

Sinking against the wall, she buried her face in her hands. _He just-oh my gosh…_

She lifted her head and put a hand to her forehead.

"That just happened, right?"

oOoOoOo

 **AN: As always, I updated embarrassingly late. BUT SUMMER'S ALMOST HERE! Just a week or so left of finals and then freedom :) THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! Lots of love to everyone!**

 **auliakeysha13:** _Aw thank you! Hopefully, the wait wasn't too long. (sorry!)_

 **Guest:** _Thank you! LOL, maybe it's my sadistic side with all those jealous guys/girls pining over Mitsuha or Taki. (then I bond to these poor children and cry with regret) Don't worry though, this fic is all about those two!_

 **Sovereign64:** _Aw thanks! And yeah, same, but there's more to Taki's background as a basketball player._

 **Western-Otaku:** _Thanks! Tessie and Sayaka have their own special part to play in this story :)_

 **Between finals, a recital, and lots of other crazy stuff, I'll have to update around June 24th. Follows, favorites, and reviews appreciated! Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: AHHHH I'M LIKE A MONTH LATE WHY AM I NOT EVEN SURPRISED I'M SORRYYY**

 **Disclaimer: Kimi no na wa does not belong to me.**

oOoOoOo

It was a normal day, Taki reflected as he sat in the clubroom after last bell. Normal, but even that could be interesting. Loku and Fuyumi had run off somewhere with the flyers for the upcoming festival, laughing and playfully shoving each other the whole way. Sometimes, he wondered why they had even bothered to join because the amount of work those two accomplished bordered in the negative.

At the front of the classroom, Tsukasa was writing down the items needed for the event, the piece of chalk scraping rhythmically against the chalkboard. From just glancing at the thick packet in his hand, Taki felt a slight headache rising. He heaved a sigh and bonked his head on the desk. There was a distinct sound of paper being crumpled, then something hit his ear. He was willing to bet on what it was.

"I'm bored," a voice said plaintively. He made a muffled noise of affirmation.

"Seriously, I really am. We should do something."

Taki observed the various scribbles on the grainy wood. One particularly offensive message had been carved in miniscule handwriting centimeters from his right eye. He rubbed at it, fighting the urge to yawn.

"You know what?" he mumbled. "It's Friday, it's warm in here, and we're literally done with all the planning for New Year's. I say we sleep."

"No can do sir!" A hand insistently tugged on his collar, before finally dragging him upright, its owner frowning. "There's a Very Important Thing we must do first!"

"And what would that be, Mayu," he said tiredly to the enthusiastic girl. She placed her hands on her hips.

"I promised that we would help the cheerleading club for their competition!"

He instantly thought of warm gold eyes, a flustered but sincere smile, and his heart kicked off on a hundred mile marathon.

"You've got to be kidding me," Tsukasa echoed his thoughts, putting down the chalk. "WIth only five-I mean three-of us? Everyone else is out coordinating the clubs and class activities for the festival."

"That's more than enough! Anyways, they're probably in the auditorium right now practicing!"

"So we should che-help them out?" Taki freaked out silently at his slip. When there was only a suspiciously severe cough from Mayu, he glared sullenly at the floor.

"O-kay," she grinned slyly. "Let's go!"

oOoOoOo

"Five, six, seven, eight," Asumi counted. The girls moved as one, their arms reaching up toward an unseen object in front of them. Then, Hiroko and Koharu, on the side, turned to the opposite wings of the stage and took two measured steps out and to the back. Mitsuha was front and center, with Fuyuki and Asumi at her sides. The three dropped to their left knee, gracefully swept a circle to their right, and rose with a resounding clap.

After that, the dance progressed quickly. Mitsuha spun to the back, with Fuyuki taking her place. As the pace increased and she changed positions with greater intensity, Mitusha quietly thanked the gods that her position as a shrine maiden had taught her enough to keep pace with the difficult choreography. _Not to mention that we're going to be singing at the same time!_

A few exhausting minutes later, the five finished dramatically in their ending pose. Fuyuki, who had leaned against Asumi, practically collapsed.

"THIS IS SO EXHAUSTING," she groaned emphatically. Hiroko patted her sympathetically.

"At least our dance's pretty good now," Asumi eyed them critically. "It's a good thing we had several extra practices the last two weeks."

"True enough," Hiroko conceded with a smile. "I'd have broken my neck stomping onstage before you whipped me into shape."

"Thank the amazing Nakata Asumi," Fuyuki flung her arms dramatically from her position on the ground. She opened one eye to grin at her audience.

"Thank you, thank you."

"Just a little crazy," Mitsuha laughed. "When will your costumes be ready?"

"Ah ah ah," the blond girl shook her finger. "It's fabulousity coming out in T-minus two days!"

Hiroko nodded in satisfaction. "Everything's on schedule. We'll have time for a full rehearsal, with lighting, music, costumes, and everything before the competition."

Spinning around, Mitusha surveyed the almost cavernous auditorium. Small round floor lights lit the aisles, next to countless rows and rows of seats which sloped up to the large wooden doors. The tops of more chairs were visible above the railing in a second-story loft. Beyond that was the dark window of the sound and light board room.

"Who's going to help us with the lighting and everything?" she asked.

"Some people from the student council," Hiroko said airily. "We'll meet up with them next week to prepare. I've sent them the order of lights and cues."

"Hey, isn't that them?" Fuyumi pointed out. A few figures stood, silhouetted in the bright afternoon light outside. Mitsuha squinted.

"It is," the pinkette said in surprise.

"Hi hiii!" an energetic girl ran down the aisle before jumping onstage. Midnight black hair and bright violet eyes sparkled under the lights. Bangles clinked on her wrists as she gleefully jumped onto Hiroko. "It's sooo good to see you, Hiko!"

"Yes Mayu…" the girl tottered, nearly losing her balance. "What are you doing here..."

"Oh please," Mayu stepped back, grinning. "I wanted to see you all dance!"

"She wouldn't stop nagging us," a strangely familiar voice said exasperatedly. Mitsuha wheeled around in shock.

"Tachibana!"

He smirked at her, holding up a pen and clipboard. She took a deep breath and restrained the urge to smack him. "You never told me you were part of the council!"

"He didn't?" a tall, bespectacled boy chuckled. "He's the president."

"WHAT?!"

oOoOoOo

Taki smirked at her and held up his clipboard, enjoying the expression of shock on her face. Miyamizu huffed in annoyance.

"We watched the whole thing!" Mayu said excitedly. "You were all amazing!"

"Thanks!" Asumi said with a smile. "It means a lot to us." At this point, they had all formed a loose circle.

"So, uh, do you three want to check out the soundboard?" Hiroko offered. "There isn't much of a difference between the one here and the one you'll be using at the competition hall."

"Sure!" Mayu said, with way more exuberance Taki thought was fitting. "I'm not much of a techy person, so Tachibana and Fujii will be more than happy to help! Can I stay and help with the scheduling?"

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Tsukasa blatantly staring at a blond girl. "Hey, Tsukasa," he whispered. "Let's ask for some of the girls to come with us because we don't know the cues that well. They can explain the dance and music to us."

Tsukasa started. "Tha-that's a GREAT idea!" His voice had risen unnaturally loudly so that the other girls stopped talking and looked at him. "Ah, I meant that _Taki_ here suggested that a few of you could come and help us out? Because _Mayu_ there didn't send us the notes and cues, so um..." The normally articulate treasurer floundered for words.

"Nice going," Taki murmured, earning a painful elbow to the side.

"That _is_ a great idea," Mayu smiled devilishly. "Why, Fuyuki and Miyamizu, would you two like to help them out? I'm sure they'll be glad." Miyamizu and the blonde looked at each other in confusion, then shrugged.

The two boys stared at Mayu in shock.

"How, you're wondering?" she smirked. "Because I am _all-knowing_ and must be _feared_. Now move along, children." She made a shooing gesture and turned back to Hiroko, though not before sending a playful wink.

"Scary," Tsukasa whispered. "But amazing all the same. Ah, I'd kill for a sister like her."

"Tsukasa, that's scary," Taki deadpanned. "We'd better catch up to the girls." Miyamizu and Fuyuki were almost at the door to the control booth.

"What's her name?" his friend said almost desperately as they hurried up the aisle. "I think Fuyuki's her first name so what's her last?"

"Just ASK," he snickered. They reached the door and stepped in.

Inside, Miyamizu had already flipped on the soundboard. The buttons and slides flashed green and red. On a rather battered sofa in the corner of the small room, the other girl was poring through a stack of papers.

"Okay," the raven-haired dancer said. "It's all up to you. Fuyuki."

"Here's what Hiroko sent to Mayu-san," Fuyuki tossed him the papers. _Another packet_ , Taki sighed. He sat on a folding chair next to Miyamizu and flipped through it absently.

"Um," Tsukasa coughed. "What's your name?"

"Me?" Fuyuki looked up at him. "Oh, you can just call me Fuyuki." She gave him a distracted smile and handed over a packet before curling back on the cushions and beginning to sketch on a pad of paper.

"Uh, my name's Fujii Tsukasa, but you can call me Tsukasa," he offered awkwardly. When the girl only bobbed her head in response, Taki almost began laughing at his dejected expression.

Miyamizu stood, but only crossed the room to gracefully sit next to Fuyuki instead of leaving, to Taki's relief. Tsukasa took her seat with a sigh, running a hand over the soundboard. Taki turned on a nearby computer, searching for the audio file. "Here."

As the song began to play, they flipped through the papers, following the lighting cues. "Lights one, two, center crossed, pale blue, then have them follow Kiriyura and Izumi to the sides of the stage...wow it's so detailed," his friend said in awe.

"The song's amazing," he muttered back, before realizing that he'd said it too loudly. He glanced back to see Miyamizu blushing, then quickly turned back.

"Hm, Taki, do you want to monitor the general lights and audio while I do the specific stuff?"

"Sure," he agreed. "Have fun programming the light sequences, buddy."

"Fuyuki-san," Tsukasa called out. "Do you know what you want the lights to be before you enter the stage?"

The girl rose reluctantly and stepped over to him, bending to read the paper over his shoulder. Tsukasa looked as if he was about to combust, or at least die a fiery death at the hands of an angel. Taki raised an eyebrow at the sight before deciding to take things into his own hands. He opened his mouth-

"All the instructions for the music are in the packet," Miyamizu folded her hands primly. At his flabbergasted expression, she collapsed and dissolved into laughter.

"Very funny," he said dryly, fighting back a wave of embarrassment.

"Only for you," she replied cheerfully. "Okay, okay, I'm coming." He could clearly make out her pleased smile, even as she tried to adopt a neutral expression. He grinned.

She settled in a chair right beside him, so close that he could breathe in the jasmine scent of her hair. "What did you need?"

"Do you want the introduction to fade in?" He picked up a nearby pencil, ready to take notes.

Miyamizu hummed in thought. "Maybe a little? Not too much, though, since it was already quiet to begin with."

"What kind of microphones do you need?"

"Definitely the ones we can wear or clip on. There's no way we can dance while holding a chunk of metal. Tachibana, it's all in the packet."

"Okay, okay," he mimicked her earlier words with a smile.

Turning on the computer, he loaded the music into the computer and linked it to the soundboard. Flipping a few switches, he pulled out a nearby drawer and found a bag of clip-on microphones. A twist of the wires, a couple of clicks, and he deemed it ready. Miyamizu gingerly brushed off the dust after he handed one to her, fixing it to her ear.

"Just say something," he told her, putting on a headset of his own. "Music starts in three, two, one…" The slow, lyrical introduction began playing throughout the auditorium. Onstage, the rest of the girls looked up in surprise.

"Ahh, testing one, two, three?" Miyamizu tried. Nothing happened, but the music continued playing.

"Again, please," Taki began turning the dials, upping the volume.

"Testing, one, two, thREE" On the last word, the microphone kicked in and her voice reverberated at an almost earsplitting volume.

"Oops, my bad," he lowered the volume slightly. He set the music on a loop. "Try singing now."

She paused and eyed him. " _I'd love a strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberry souffle, and a strawberry shake!_ " The randomness of her words in addition to her haughty tone set him into laughter.

"What," she smiled teasingly, covering the microphone. "Dessert is great."

"And expensive," Taki sighed sadly, thinking of his favorite cafe and almost-empty wallet. "Miyamizu, sing the actual song!"

"No!" she protested. "Everyone sings together!"

"I need to record the high and low notes so I can prepare for the range," he pressed. She faltered. "Everyone else is busy. I need to know what the song's like so I can fine-tune it!"

He knew he'd won when she bit her lip. "Um, okay, kind of like-"

oOoOoOo

" _Listen to our hopes soaring_

 _Through a sky of splintered stars_

 _And as you wish-_

 _I'll struggle beautifully_

 _Let's kiss and trace_

 _Each other's hourglasses_

 _Let's meet up at the place_

 _Farthest from goodbye_

 _There's a thousand things_

 _I'd like to say_

 _Lost in the kaleidoscope_

 _Of our August days_

 _It's fine; it's alright_

 _I fall toward you_

 _I'll see you_

 _It's a brilliant, starlit flight_

 _I'll see you_

 _At the place farthest_

 _From goodbye_

 _It's our place_

 _Farthest from goodbye-_

"- _eep,_ " Mitsuha almost toppled over when she realized that all seven students were in the room staring at her.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Mayu darted out from behind the others and hugged her. "Your voice is GORGEOUS! And that song, those lyrics!" The rest of them snapped out of their daze and began enthusiastically applauding.

"I haven't heard you sing that part on your own before, which is awful because that was _stunning_ ," Koharu said emphatically, a beam on her usually stern face.

"Th-thanks," she blushed as everyone began to praise her. Finally, Fujii-san poked Tachibana, who was still silent.

"Oi, don't you have anything to say?"

For some reason, Mitsuha found herself holding her breath. The song, for some reason, kind of reminded her of him. _It's probably because I wrote most of it sitting next to him. Yup._

"That was really pretty, Miyamizu," he said dazedly, smiling at her in admiration and _is that puzzlement?_ She dismissed the thought, choosing to thank him quietly. Embarrassedly looking away, she glanced down at her clasped hands.

During this time, the others had been watching in rapt attention. Tachibana coughed awkwardly, checking his watch. "It's almost 5:30, we should probably start cleaning up." There was a moment of silence. Then, a splutter in the back, and Mayu burst into laughter.

"You saw it, right?" she wheezed, grinning at Fuyuki, who was giggling like a maniac. Hiroko put her hand in front of her mouth, attempting to conceal her wide grin.

" _Nice going_ ," Fujii-san stage-whispered. Asumi snickered.

"Okay, it's time to go," Tachibana announced, firmly grasping his fellow club members by the arm. "Bye people, nice to meet you, very fun, BYE!" His pink ears were evident as he turned and dragged them out the door, slamming it with a bang.

As one, the girls turned to Mitsuha, mirror expressions of delight on their faces.

" _-eep,_ " she whispered.

cCcCcCcCcCc

Mitsuha shifted from her position at the station, inwardly sighing as an icy gust of air nipped at her cheeks. _That was intense._ Her interrogation courtesy of Fuyuki, Asumi, Hiroko, and Koharu had left her mildly scarred. She felt her face burn red at the memory of their more...provocative questions.

 _Why, dear Mitsuha, how long have you known Tachibana? As acquaintances, or do you know him on more...intimate terms?_ Asumi had smirked. _Naughty, naughty…_

"Miyamizu." She nearly jumped three feet at the sound of his voice. "Whoa, are you okay?" He was still slightly awkward, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he spoke. She couldn't help but notice his hair, which was windswept, but left a rather adorable effect.

"Yeah," she grasped her own bag tightly. "I was just startled."

They shuffled onto the train and managed to find seats, but the car was filling up quickly. The constant swaying of the train compelled the sitting occupants into forming a reluctant human body wave. Mitsuha was forced to practically snuggle up against him.

She tried to lean away, to no avail. Tachibana noticed. "It's fine, I don't mind. There's nothing called personal space on a rush hour train." She froze, eyes looking anywhere but him. Then, she gave up when the person on her left jostled her roughly, relaxing against his side. _This is hopeless._

Clearing her throat awkwardly, she searched for a question to distract her. "Um, Tachibana?"

"Yeah?"

"How can you be on the student council if you're on the basketball team?"

He was quiet for a moment. "It's complicated."

She clasped her bag. "Oh, you don't have to-"

"No, I'll tell you," he interrupted. "I just needed to think for a second.

"I joined the basketball team because of a friend. He's insanely good, and I've always liked playing, so yeah. It was all well and good, when our coach was replaced halfway through the season. He's insane. He treats maybe three players like they're gold and the rest as if they're dirt. I was always a starter, so I was someone he favored, but it was crazy. He'd force everyone else to run three miles and tell a few of us to do whatever we wanted. On top of that, he had no idea how to actually coach. So, I quit.

"My father was beyond horrified, but I think he was also kind of relieved. I'm not the best at the sport, just good enough to stand out a little. The only reason why he never told me to stop playing was because he knew I actually liked it. He told me that I had to take up another extracurricular in place of it. I heard that Tsukasa was running for treasurer, so I thought 'Why the hell not' and ran for vice president. I guess everyone knew me from basketball and posters and stuff I do for the clubs, so I made it. Mayu was elected president, since she's the only candidate who's genuinely nice to people of all grades. After a week or so, though, she realized that she really wasn't suited for that job, so she asked me if I could switch with her. Everyone kind of understood why, and that was that. Plus, Student Council President sounds a lot better than 'nameless athlete', so my father was pretty happy.

"The coach refused to see reason. He was furious when I left. That game you saw me in the other day? I had run to the gym to grab chairs for our meeting for the New Year's Festival when he basically dragged me into the game. He told me that he could kick people off the team, since they had an excess of reserves, or I could play for him for that one game." He stopped for breath, clenching his fists. "That idiot."

"I didn't know," Mistuha said in shock. "He's horrible."

"It's fine now," he exhaled. "Sorry for dumping all that on you."

"I did ask," she said reassuringly. "Thank you for telling me."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for the rest of ride. Their walk through the main street was relatively uneventful, except that they were close enough for their shoulders to brush with each step. Warm yellow light spilled from the shop windows onto the recently shoveled sidewalk. She smiled at the sign of a cafe, feeling oddly nostalgic.

When they rounded the corner to their apartment building, they stopped in surprise. Two men in business suits stood outside the entrance, talking. "Dad?" Tachibana said incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"Taki," his father nodded. "This is a Miyamizu-san, a business associate. Miyamizu-san, this is my son, Tachibana Taki." The man inclined his head, eyes narrowing when he noticed the girl at Tachibana's side.

"Father," Mitsuha said coldly. "It's lovely to see you."

"Likewise," her father replied in an equally frosty tone. Tachibana looked from the two, opening his mouth as if to say something, then thought better of it. "Please offer your thanks to Tachibana-san, who generously rented out his spare apartment for us."

Her eyes widened, as did the younger Tachibana. She turned to his father and bowed deeply. "Thank you very much for your help."

"It's nothing; your father and I have known each other for years," he replied. "I must say, you look a lot like dear Futaba-san."

She stiffened, then smiled softly, with a hint of a tremor in her voice. "Thank you."

"It's a shame she's gone, but she's in a better place now," he commented, not unkindly. "Unlike my ex-wife."

"Dad," her classmate said with a hint of warning.

"I still need to speak with Miyamizu-san, so you can go upstairs first," his father continued, paying no heed to his words. "You can go."

"You too," Mitsuha's father dismissed roughly. The two turned and entered the lobby. In the elevator, she pressed the buttons, then fell against the wall with a sigh.

"I didn't know that our fathers knew each other," Tachibana said in concern. "And I didn't know about your mother. I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" she huffed. "You're family's the reason why I'm in Tokyo. That's-thank you." She hesitated, then added. "I'm sorry about your mother."

He looked startled for a moment, then smiled. "Thanks." His voice followed her as she exited the elevator with a backwards wave. "That's one more thing we have in common."

oOoOoOo

 **AN: I hope you liked it! It's actually 16 pages long, which means this is the longest chapter I've written so far :O Thank you to all who stayed with this story, even though my updating skills are worse than my math (ahaha that's actually really funny to me because my math is poop and they're kinda related) THANK YOU SO MUCH! Like, 50 followers? ILYSM *sends virtual hugs***

 **Let's assume that it snows heavily in Tokyo for the sake of this fic, please! I realized this AFTER I wrote and posted stuff with snow in it *sweats***

 **To Sovereign64 and CrescentMoonTenshi: I'm super sorry I mixed up both of your reviews from Chapter 3! I went through my story and just realized that :( CrescentMoonTenshi, I hope it's okay if I reply now and I'm so sorry I ended up not replying before!**

 **CrescentMoonTenshi:** _Thank you for your kind comments! I wasn't intending for this story to have a lot of humor, but I like how it turned out! If you're reading this now, you probably have realized that this deviates A LOT from the movie, which I hope is okay :) Again, I'm so sorry for not replying before!_

 **Sovereign64:** _Sorry about the review mixup! When you read my reply in Ch 4, you probably had no idea what the heck I was talking about * laughs nervously* Anyways, thank you for your support! Your reviews do make me so happy :D_

 **Just something that's been bothering me lately: Do you like Mitsuha and Taki's characters? Not the characters themselves, but how defined they are. (like a 'strong, consistent character', if that makes sense) Please leave your thoughts in a review! :)**

 **Please review, follow, and/or favorite! Feel free to PM me if I disappear mysteriously for more than two weeks ;) Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: AHHHHHH I'M BACKKK! I've been so busy for these past few months, but my goal is to finish this by the end of 2017! I FINALLY have everything all planned out. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Kimi no Na Wa does not belong to me. If it did, I'd be inventing healthy, delicious, and calorie-free cakes! (I wish)**

oOoOoOo

Mitsuha slowly opened her eyes, staring blankly up at the grayish ceiling. Silvery dawn light glowed behind her curtains, but she turned away to bury her face against her pillow. _It's been six months._

Her apartment was silent, her father most likely still sleeping. But, even after pulling her covers over her head, the sounds of the city could still be heard in the distance. The rumble of trains, car alarms, beeps, and the general murmur of the millions of voices in Tokyo was at once both a comfort and a source of despair.

"I miss you, Mama," she whispered. _Oh, Itomori…_

She rolled over to face the rest of her room. Pale gold wallpaper glimmered dimly behind her shelves, the rows still partially empty. Across her bed, a few boxes lay unopened on the smooth carpeted floor, and three more were stacked haphazardly next to her desk. Sitting up, she let her hair fall around her face. _It's going to be okay._

It took her less than fifteen minutes to brush her teeth, change into a loose sweater and leggings, and shuffle to the kitchen. Soft blue shadows curled in the corner, away from the few specks of illuminated dust floated lazily through the air. It was then that she realized that she wasn't the only one awake. Her father sat at the table, completely still as he stared at his coffee. A half-folded newspaper lay to the side.

She silently padded to the cabinet and grabbed a piece of toast. Sliding in across from him, she bit into it quietly, grimacing at the dry, flaky taste. After a few moments, her father shifted in his seat.

"What are you going to do today?" he asked, face neutral. Her hand slipped on her toast at his uncharacteristically non-violent question.

"Well…" she fumbled for words. "I was going to go to the library today to finish some homework."

"I see. Are your grades up to standard?"

"They're all at least As."

"Hmph. See that they go up," he warned. "I spent all this time and effort trying to get you into a good school and that's what you have to show for it? Have you done _anything_ important?"

"I joined the cheerleading club." She knew it was a mistake the moment the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"So nothing, then. Why don't you commit yourself to anything important, for once? God only knows what you do during your time." Mitsuha flinched. He set down his cup, the glass rattling harshly against the plate.

"We're going to join a competition," she tried to argue.

"Useless, cheerleading." he scoffed, completely ignoring her. "It's just like you to run away from your problems. Repulsive."

"Excuse you!" she flared, unable to take it any longer.

"Don't test me," her father snarled. "Not today."

"You're not the only one who's has a problem! It's not like I'm the one who abandoned his wife and children, then married his career when his wife died!"

There was a moment of dead silence.

"Get. Out." She hurriedly swiped her hand across her eyes before leaping to her feet, dumping her plate in the sink. "GET OUT!" her father roared. "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?" He slammed his hand on the table, and with a tinkling crash, the glass cup shattered. Dark brown liquid spilled across the smooth wooden surface.

Mitsuha ran for her room, blindly grabbing her bag and coat and nearly running into a sleepy, bewildered Yotsuha on her mad dash to the door. The last thing she saw before slamming it shut was her father slowly picking up the drenched, illegible newspaper as it wilted in his hands.

oOoOoOo

Taki rubbed his temples in annoyance. He continued to his stare-down with the blank sheet of paper, which was shining up at him in smug expectation, courtesy of the also smugly shining lamp above his head.

"Why won't you go away?" he muttered in exasperation, finally giving up. Picking up a pencil, he began, for the hundredth time, sketching the lakeside village that seemed to be imprinted in his mind. He was working on the spiraling lattice curls of the church tower when his classmate flung herself in the chair across from him.

"Miyamizu?" he said in surprise. She froze from unbuttoning her coat before continuing even more slowly than before.

"Fancy meeting you here, Tachibana," she murmured, without any of her usual spark. He began to feel a little uneasy. _Why isn't she looking up?_

"Well, this is a pretty secluded alcove," he gestured around the space, tucked into the corner of the wall and hidden by several bookshelves. "How did you find this place?"

"I needed a book," was her muffled reply as she crouched to sort through her bag. "And then I saw th-this table." He heard her take a deep breath, then her head popped up from beneath the table.

Taki barely stopped himself from letting out a low curse at her strained expression. The smile on her face was clearly forced, and the corners of her eyes were slightly red. That, and the slight tremble of her hands as she set her books on the table, brushing her bangs across her face, showed her true state.

"Anyways," her voice jolted him out of his thoughts. "I still have to finish that essay stupid Yamamoto assigned and then there's that packet for math." A folder slipped out of her hand, and Taki effortlessly caught it before it hit the ground.

"Oh, sorry!" she looked horrified, miserably reaching for it. "I didn't mean to drop it."

"It's fine." He noticed the thinness of the folder. "Hey," he cleared his throat. "I'm kinda hungry. Wanna go eat something?"

She stared at him for a few good moments before letting out a small, incredulous smile. "It's ten."

He shrugged, handing back the folder as he inwardly exulted over his triumph. "I didn't have much of a breakfast."

"Same," her smile faded a little at some distant, or recent, memory, and she seemed to shake it off as she glanced expectantly at him. "So, where are we going?"

oOoOoOo

"Wow," Mitsuha gasped in awe. The two had stopped in front of a beautiful, glass and wood framed building that stood on a relatively busy street. Glistening, small chandeliers shone brightly, but the velvety cushioned chairs and varnished tables gave it a cozily elegant feeling. Arrays of creamy puffs, cupcakes, and exquisite cakes lined one side of the large cafe, with people of all ages laughing and inspecting the desserts in wonder. She inhaled deeply, letting out a laugh at the deliciously warm scent of coffee and chocolate.

 _I'm in wonder, alright,_ Mitsuha thought in pure happiness. _I'm in heaven!_ She fairly dragged Tachibana, the poor boy, down the rows of mouth-wateringly delicate macaroons, souffles, and pastries of origins she had no idea but instantly fell in love with nonetheless. And she almost, _almost_ felt guilty as she turned at breakneck speed to speed towards a quite frankly _gorgeous_ display of _strawberry cakes._ They lined the circular plates of all sizes, paired fruits, and delicate toppings, and she was pretty sure she was more than willing to eat them _all_.

"Having fun?" Tachibana said, amused.

"Yes!" she said enthusiastically, before bending to inspect the display more closely. "What should I get, though?!" she agonized. "Everything seems amazing!"

"There's nothing like excess sugar before lunch," he grinned in reply, snatching two mini-sponge cakes, one with chocolate filling, and the other with vanilla icing. "These are pretty good for your first time here." He deftly raised them higher as Mitsuha tried to grab them. "One's _mine_ , Miyamizu. Hands off!"

"Really?" she pouted cutely, golden eyes sparkling mischievously. "But I want both!"

"Then get your own," he retorted in mock annoyance. "I can't have you starving my wallet when I take you to cafes."

They froze. Mitsuha fought back a giddy beam as she looked into his alarmed expression. "Tachibanaaa," she began, but an exasperated voice suddenly broke in.

"Okay, okay, lovebirds, break it up," an auburn-haired waitress interrupted gleefully. "Are you going to pay, or what?"

Tachibana spluttered for a second before handing over the money without question. She tapped a few buttons. "Want anything to drink?"

"A caramel cappuccino and hot chocolate for her," Tachibana answered promptly, and Mitsuha glanced at him in shock. _I love hot chocolate!_

The waitress, whose tag read _Miki_ , nodded and rang up his purchase, spinning to quickly make their order. "There's a good table by the window over there," she pointed, winking at Mitsuha. "Have a _nice_ day!"

Holding their steaming drinks, they wove through the cafe, skirting the many couches and high countertops until the two reached a raised dais occupied by a few dozen more traditional tables. Sitting down, Mitsuha marveled at the much gentler, cozier setting. Paper lamps glowed softly over their table and leafy green indoor plants hung in baskets along the walls. The excited shouts faded to a low murmur, and only a small part of the bright store was visible behind the overhanging ceiling.

Mitsuha turned her face to the clear window. She could see the large buildings across the street, the cars cruising by, and the pedestrians hurrying along the streets, bundled up against the cold, cloudy day. Turning back, she realized that Tachibana had been watching her, frowning. He pushed the cake across the table.

"Try it," he invited. He took a bite of his own and chewed expressively, making an exaggeratedly happy expression. "It's actually really good."

She unwrapped the pastry and took a bite. Her eyes lit up as the sweet creamy taste exploded across her tongue. "It is! Oh, this tastes amazing!"

He smirked, munching on his cake while she devoured her own. Finally, she sat back and sipped her still steaming hot chocolate. She felt the tinge of sadness slowly creep upon her again as she studied her pale reflection in the window.

Tachibana cleared his throat, and she started. "Are you okay?"

"I...yes, no, I don't know," she admitted, swirling her chocolate. They sat in silence for a few moments. She clasped her hands and took a small breath. "Do you miss your mother?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in his reply.

"I miss her so much," Mitsuha said quietly. "And even though my only wish for so long was to leave home, it was the only place where I can clearly picture my mother. Now that I'm here," she gestured helplessly. "I guess that I miss home, and Mom. And I can't go back, but it hurts to remember." _Today, of all days..._

"I miss my mom, too," Tachibana absently played with his empty wrapper, lost in memory. "She used to bounce me in her lap and sing. Even though she left, I think that I want to remember her like that for as long as I can. I know she loved me, and I'll just remember that and cherish the people I have with me."

She smiled at that. "You're so forgiving." The words came out slightly bitter, and she instantly felt guilty. _But for what?_

"I'm not, not really," he sighed. "I guess that I'd rather just remember the part I miss the most. Perhaps her relationship with my father was never meant to be. She sends money, and I visit her a couple of times a year. It'll never be enough to make up for what she did, but we're all trying."

"We all are," she agreed, idly folding her napkin. "Sometimes, I wonder if my father even cares about me and my sister." She'd never voiced that thought out loud before, ever. It hurt a bit more when she did. But, the way he was listening, eyes full of concern, made her feel free. "All he does is criticize and avoid us."

"Maybe he does that because you two remind him of her-your mother," Tachibana pointed out. "Maybe it hurts seeing you both."

She blinked.

"I'd rather try to remember and hold onto the remainder of the people I care about instead of trying to forget," he said thoughtfully. "But, I mean, your father must have cared a lot about your mother, right? The way you talk about both of them together like that…"

She smiled sadly. "Maybe you're right."

The way he looked at her then, as if he understood everything she had said, everything she had meant, made her heart hurt. They gazed at each other for a few minutes, lost in thought, until Tachibana abruptly drained the last of his cup and stood.

"Let's go now?" he suggested. "The seats at the library fill up quickly after noon. We should also pick up a quick lunch to eat later."

"Okay," she agreed, suddenly feeling a lot lighter. They tossed away the empty cups and wrappers, stepping out the side door. It opened into a side street, only a small grocery and saloon open. Mitsuha shivered a little at the blast of icy air, feeling the warmth of the cafe fade from her fingers and toes. It burned brightly inside, though.

They hadn't been walking for more than a few seconds when she reached for him, tugging on his sleeve so that he met her gaze. " _Thank you,"_ she breathed. His eyes softened, and she knew he understood.

oOoOoOo

That night, she sat on her bed, staring at her phone. A contact flashed brightly on the screen. She smiled faintly at it. _I miss you and Mom so much._

She drew her fluffy, pink patterned blankets closer. Outside her door, she could hear her father puttering around the living room. _I don't want to forget Itomori. The ending was terrifying, but..._ she thought of Tachibana's words again.

" _I'd rather try to remember and hold onto the remainder of the people I care about instead of trying to forget."_

Mitsuha finally sighed, already aching for the familiar voice. Propping herself up comfortably against her pillows, she pressed the call button. She listened to the dial tone, then heard the beep as the call connected.

"Hi," she started, heart pounding. "It's me."

oOoOoOo

 **AN: OOOO WHO COULD SHE BE CALLING? I bet some of you can figure it out ;)**

 **As always, thank you for reading and supporting my work! It's already been a year since Kimi no Na Wa first came out (can you believe it?! o.O ) This movie was something that inspired me to write, the first actual STORY that I want to continue, and so I have to see it through! Thank you for being with me!**

 ** _Soverign64:_** _Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that about Mitsuha and Taki! I feel like I wanted Taki's father to come off as more of a kinder person than Mitsuha's, someone who is incredibly strict towards Taki, but loves him all the same. And Taki knows that about his father, I think. Even if they are pretty cold to each other, they still want the best for each other._

 ** _MasterGuardian:_** _Thank YOU for reviewing; it made me smile a LOT! I hope you liked this chapter!_

 ** _Jaewon:_** _Oh my gosh I was flattered by your compliment when I first saw it because ohhhhh myyy goodness there are so many publish-worthy fanfics and professional-type-writing fanfic authors out there it's like WOW! If you keep looking for good fanfics, you'll definitely find some like the ones I just mentioned. Oops, I kinda went on a tangent, but what I meant was THANK YOU! There will be 10 chapters for this story, which I hope is enough! :)_

 ** _CidSlayer:_** _I have and will! Thank you for reviewing! You really jumped in at the perfect time because I was suffering through a writer's block and then I saw your review and was like "there are people that are still reading this?! I gotta WRITE!" THANK YOU!_

 **Please follow, favorite, and/or REVIEW! Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN: Happy holidays! (And a early New Year!)_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Kimi no na wa. Omg, ownership would've been a great Christmas gift though... ;)_**

 _oOoOoOoOo_

" _...Mitsuha?"_

oOoOoOoOo

Everyone watched Asumi with bated breath. The girl turned over a crisp white envelope in her hands, touching the embossed gold letters of the record company.

"Just open it already!" Fuyuki and Maya bounced up and down like two highly caffeinated squirrels. "Open it!"

Mitsuha leaned closer, along with all the others, as the cheerleader finally sighed and ripped the envelope open in one swift motion. Biting her lip, she scanned the words, mouthing them silently. Her face was carefully blank as she finally met their gaze.

"Well?" Even Koharu impatiently tapped her foot. "Did we make it or what?"

"Everyone…" Asumi suddenly flung the paper into the air as she began to sob. "WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFICIAL IDOLS!"

The room exploded in cheers. Mitsuha and Asumi grasped hands, spinning in a circle of giddy laughter. "YES!" Koharu sank to the ground in relieved, giggly mess, Maya shrieked in joy, clapping enthusiastically, Hiroko high-fived Tachibana, and Tsukasa pulled Fuyuki into a hug that ended with her laughingly pushing him away.

Mitsuha broke out of her hug with Asumi, beaming. As Asumi darted off to celebrate with the other girls, Taki came up next to her. "Congratulations on making it!" he said, grinning. "It's going to be awesome seeing you all perform in front of thousands of people."

"That's going to be-oh," she had to pause for a moment to let it sink in. "Wow."

"Don't worry, you're all amazing," he playfully poked her. "You've made it this far!" She turned her head, fighting her blush.

"We wouldn't have made it far without you three, though," she shot back. "You three were a huge help at auditions." He hesitated for a moment, then smirked.

"Oh well, then. A group effort, amiright?" His hug was sudden and brief, leaving her flustered but warm inside. They looked up as Fuyuki clapped her hands for attention.

"Let's go out to celebrate!" she suggested, and was met with a chorus of agreement.

"We still have to put away the costumes and shut down the equipment, but that'll be quick. Let's go!" Hiroko took a costume rack, pushing it towards the closet as Maya and Koharu ran out to close the curtains.

"Benefits of having a backstage club room, hm?" Tachibana said thoughtfully, beginning to rearrange the chairs.

"Oh, yeah," she agreed. "It helps a lot, especially during rehearsals." She collected the packets and pencils, setting them neatly on a shelf. Together, they pushed the table and couch into the corner.

Dusting off her hands, Mitsuha breathed in deeply, feeling the dust tickle her nostrils. Suddenly craving fresh air, she waved at Tachibana. "I'll be outside, okay?"

He looked faintly surprised, but nodded. "We should be out in a few minutes."

She easily navigated the mostly cleared room, skirting the remaining clothes rack Fuyuki was fussing over. Hopping around Tsukasa, who was blatantly _not_ staring at the blonde, she deftly snatched her coat off a chair and pushed open the door.

It had just stopped snowing. The back courtyard was glazed a pristine white, frosted trees draped in glimmering crystals. She shivered, watching her breath fan out into silver wisps. The air in the city always had an edge of smokiness, like a touch of pollution even the cleanest neighborhoods couldn't shake off. Leaning against the railing of the landing, she absently watched the ash-gray clouds stream along the chilly wind, and let herself sink into memories.

oOoOoOo

 _-20 hours ago-_

"...Mitsuha?" Her voice sounded exactly the same as Mitsuha had last remembered. It might have been high-pitched and bordering on the edge of hysteria, but she treasured it, carefully tucked it away in a corner so she would never forget.

"Yes, it's me," she said tiredly, twisting her blanket in a shaking hand. "Hi, Sayaka."

There was nothing but a few short breaths on the other side. Mitsuha resigned herself.

"How's everything?" she asked tentatively.

"It's good," Sayaka said. "Yokohama's a big city and there are a lot of new places and people to explore and meet. Our school is great, though. Tessie and I are in the same class."

Mitsuha didn't fail to catch the change in inflection. "Tessie, hm?" she asked slyly. "How's he doing?"

"Oh, Mitsuha, you won't believe it!" the other girl cried. "Before we left," she dropped her voice to a whisper, voice trembling in excitement, "he asked me out!"

"YES!" Mitsuha shrieked along with her childhood friend, pumping her fist into the air. "Finally! I knew he had it in him! What did you say?"

Sayaka continued dramatically. "I said yes, of course! We've gone on a couple of dates already, and he's the sweetest boyfriend ever! Still a bit dense, thought," she added. "Just saying."

Mitsuha giggled. "I met this really cute boy in Tokyo," she whispered, feeling compelled to share. "He's super kind and funny, but I think we're just going to be friends."

"Aw," her friend tutted. "It's okay, he'll realize his mistake soon." They laughed, and for a moment they were once again the closest of best friends, sharing secrets late at night by the glow of fireflies.

Sayaka sobered first. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"It's okay," she said quietly. "Moving takes up a lot of time." They both knew that she didn't just mean it in the literal sense. Things had changed between them, and Mitsuha could only guess why. Her friend sighed.

"Do you miss Itomori?"

Mitsuha blinked in surprise, then gradually loosened her death grip on the comforter. "Yes," she admitted. "All the time."

"I won't ask what happened with you, near the end," Sayaka said slowly. "But thank you for saving all those lives."

Mitsuha immediately had a brief, painful flashback. In her mind's eye, she saw her burning house, the acrid smoke of an entire village in flames, and the countless broken bodies slumped over the ash-stained ground of her hometown. _That's it,_ she realized. _That's why._ Those memories sat in between them, heavy and dark. They'd both been changed, needed time to cope.

"I don't really know either. It was like I was seeing everything happen from someone else's point of view," she said, her eyes falling on her light cream curtains. Sitting up and tucking her phone under one ear, she pulled it back to reveal the dusky glow of Tokyo's night sky. Pushing the curtains back into place just as quickly, she pressed a hand to her head, feeling a familiar ache. "It wasn't enough."

"No," Sayaka said instantly. "You did what you could. There's nothing to blame for that."

She opened her mouth to argue. _Kika's son. Ryoun's wife. Hana. Keiji. Suicho-san. Their families. And so, so many more._

Her friend cut across her attempt to speak. "You saved me, didn't you? You saved me, Tessie, my parents, his family, your family, and everyone at the school _you saved_. We wouldn't have been alive without you. Granted, Tessie and I helped, but it was _you_ who gave that push and insisted on evacuating everyone _early_." Her emphasis on the last few words touched something in Mitsuha's chest, a tightness that had been there for months, and she closed her eyes as it began to dissipate like mist at dawn.

"I...thank you." She wordlessly realized that she was clutching her blanket again

"Don't worry about it," Sayaka's voice softened. "It's going to be okay."

oOoOoOo

- _Present-_

Mitsuha startled out of her reverie when someone tapped her on her shoulder.

"Hey, we're going now," Tachibana said quietly. His eyes flicked over her, assessing. "You okay?"

"I'm okay," Mitsuha turned to fully face him, a small smile tugging at her lips. Behind him, she could see Maya locking the door with Asumi trembling anxiously, reaching out every time she fumbled with the key. Fuyuki, Hiroko, and Koharu stood aside, laughing. Even Tsukasa was chuckling. Nodding to herself, she repeated sincerely: "I'm okay."

And as they all started down the street to the nearest cafe, Mitsuha felt her smile grow bigger. Fuyuki threw a piece of snow at Koharu, who ducked, letting the snow sail straight into Tsukasa's collar. Maya burst into peals of silvery laughter, laughing until she herself was gifted with snow courtesy of an enraged Tsukasa. She stood there in shock, a clump comically falling off her head onto the ground. Then, it was a full-fledged snow fight. Maya gleefully flung snow at everything moving, then cackled when her victims chased after her in hopeless revenge.

Scooping up a handful of her own snow, Mitsuha laughed as Maya was soundly defeated by Hiroko. Packing it thoughtfully, she aimed and let fly.

The snowball smacked right into the back of Tachibana's head while he was running.

"Hey!" he shouted, before he was grabbed by an evilly smirking Tsukasa. "TSUKAS-MPHH-"

Mitsuha began laughing in earnest. Bending for more snow, she surveyed the grounds for her next target. _Asumi!_ Just as she was about to throw, a snowball smacked her arm, sending icy flakes down the inside her sleeve.

Hearing a familiar _Oh oops, I was aiming for her head!_ she turned and fixed a positively wicked glare on the poor boy, who stepped back and began to run, laughing his head off.

"You-" she threatened, setting off after him. "I'm coming!" Even as she began to run, a thought flew through her mind, causing her smile to grow.

 _I'll never forget this._

oOo

" _Ne, Mitsuha, let's meet up sometime!"_

" _Of course!"_

oOoOoOo

 **AN: Whew, that was something all right. Every time I finish a chapter, I'm fresh out of ideas for at least a week, but I've been constantly bombarded with inspiration these past few days. Maybe it's the holiday season. Hm…**

 **Well, against my better senses, I've decided to start another fanfic! It's called** _ **Love Nikki: A Stylist's Tale**_ **, infused with a healthy dose of magic, and based on a game called** _ **Love Nikki**_ **, (a kind of role-play/dress-up game) which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF YOU LIKE AESTHETIC THINGS (CLOTHES!) Synopsis:**

 _ **Love Nikki: A Stylist's Tale:**_ _After the death of the late King Sayet, Nikki and Momo find themselves in a strange world, summoned by Queen Nanari. Besides marveling at the beautiful clothes, making new friends, and honing her skills as a new stylist, Nikki begins to realize that Miraland is not what it seems. There's also a problem of Nikki looking almost exactly like a certain someone…_

 **So yeah! I hope some of you will check it out :))) Now on to the reviews:**

 _ **Sovereign64**_ _ **:**_ _I'm so happy that you reviewed! I'm glad that you felt that the scene with Mitsuha and her father was intense and that you liked when Taki brought Mitsuha to the cafe. And I'm especially glad that you caught Miki Okedura's cameo! :D Also, BINGO! It WAS Sayaka! *throws confetti* Thanks for reviewing!_

 _ **OsteoPoro:**_ _That's so relatable! I remember that void myself ahaha maybe this new chapter will help too!_

 _ **Molomar**_ _: Aw thank you! I hope it continues to be good :D_

 _ **Cid Slayer:**_ _Thank you! It's always lovely to see return reviewers ;)_

 _ **Nexus Infinity**_ _: Thanks! Maybe Mitsuha and Sayaka's conversation cleared some things up for you lololol :) don't worry, more's to come!_

 **AHHH I'm so excited to write these last two chapters bc I started this fanfic with an eye on the end! I think I'm glad to see how much I changed it because oof, if I'd written it the way I'd planned it a couple months ago :000**

 **Anyways, please excuse me for this WAY TOO LONG AN. Happy holidays again! 3**

 **Please review, follow, and/or favorite! Until next time!**


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